If we didn't already have enough to worry about, there is a fatal threat to our children that we freely allow in our homes......TELEVISIONS!!
I ran across this disturbing article in The Week, by author, Chris Gayomali. I have always worried about my kids, especially when they were young. There are so many things that can go wrong and many can be fatal. There is of course crib death, drowning, all kinds of diseases, auto accidents, sports injuries among the myriad of possibilities. But there is one thing that I never feared.....death by falling televisions. According to Gayomali's research, since 2000 more than 200 children have been killed by falling TV sets. ThinkStock/Hemera "December 14, 2012, On Black Friday, many Americans lined up in the biting cold to take advantage of steep discounts on new TVs. But, as desirable as this go-to appliance is, it also poses unsuspected dangers. According to the latest report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 41 people — mostly children — were killed by falling TVs in last year. Since 2000, more than 200 children have died that way. More startling stats: 18,000 people are injured by falling sets every year; three children are injured by a tipped-over TV every hour; and one child is killed every two weeks. The tip-overs are mainly caused by incidents in which people climb on the set (36 percent of such cases involve children) or hit or kick it (14 percent). These tragedies are occurring, the report suggests, as more consumers opt for flat-screens and move their older, heavier sets (which can weigh as much as 100 pounds) to the bedroom. "Children will climb up on furniture to try to turn the TV on and there goes the heavy television as well as the piece of furniture," says Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the commission. Many heavy TVs are being placed on furniture that isn't designed to hold them properly, especially dressers. Obviously, you can't eyeball your kids at all times, but you can minimize the odds that your child will end up as another statistic: 1. Double-check that your flat-screen is securely mounted to the wall.Just as importantly, talk to your children about changing the channel safely if they can't find the remote. Calmly set rules. Let them know that standing on furniture or climbing to reach the TV is strictly off limits. 2. Anchor your TV. Use common sense and don't place the set on a taller or unsteady piece of furniture — dresser, table, shelf, or kitchen counter — where it has the potential to fall on someone's head. 3. Place your TV on a low, sturdy base. This is especially important if a wall mount isn't possible." So I think that we all owe Chris Gayomali a debt of gratitude. Instead of just worrying about what the kids are watching on TV, we can now worry about the TV being on the kids.
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